Bulgogi

Thinly sliced beef marinated in soy, pear, sesame and garlic — grilled over charcoal and wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang paste.

Bulgogi — fire meat — is one of Korea's oldest dishes, with origins in the Goguryeo kingdom (37 BC–668 AD) where a dish called maekjeok (grilled meat on skewers) was eaten. The modern bulgogi as we know it, marinated thinly sliced beef, developed during the Joseon dynasty. The use of Asian pear in the marinade is the distinctively Korean technique — the enzymes in pear (and kiwi fruit) break down the muscle fibres of the meat, tenderising it in a way that acid-based marinades cannot. The dish is central to Korean BBQ culture, eaten wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang dipping sauce. Bulgogi was ranked among the world's 50 most delicious foods by CNN Travel.

Use Asian pear in the marinade — the enzymes tenderise the meat. Slice the beef paper thin against the grain. Marinate for at least 4 hours. Grill over charcoal for authentic smoky flavour.